Sigmar Gabriel, the German foreign minister, suggested that European countries were willing to make trade-offs before negotiationsMichael Sohn/AP

Germany has offered a soft Brexit with a reduced jurisdiction for EU judges over Britain and continued access to Europe’s single market in return for a British concession on free movement.

Sigmar Gabriel, the German foreign minister, suggested yesterday that European countries were willing to make trade-offs in advance of negotiations on Britain’s withdrawal from the EU. Talks begin in Brussels today.

“Perhaps there is now a chance to achieve a so-called soft Brexit,” he told Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper yesterday.

EU negotiators are stressing that there is room to find a compromise because they fear that without one, a weakened Theresa May would not survive the duration of Brexit talks this summer, a critical period of negotiations. “It is the greatest uncertainty as…